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Mr. Obvious (?) - digital source (burn)

After decades of improved CD players, I’ve been enjoying an Oppo BDP-103, on audio only.   I now ponder the idea of a home music server, replacing the silver discs.  After reading about the burning process (pit impressions and blank/land space), I’m thinking this front-end physical step creates the same coding on a CD Master Disc, on a hard drive, and on my burned discs via my home Mac.  Home music servers use a hard drive, as do streaming services.  They all use the exact same coding, via a hard drive or 4.7 inch disc.  Correct?   As to the all important sound quality, is the Only variable the DAC doing the de-coding before listening?  I doubt a CD Transport affects sound quality(?).  End question - any need for a home server vs. popping in my manageable group of CDs?   Perhaps there is an engineer out there who can chime in.   Thanks.
bigguy4488

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oldschool1948
146 posts
 
@roberjeman  Hard drives crash and die!
This is a true statement; however, it's easy to protect yourself.  I've ripped my CD collection to a Zenith MKII; it also holds any music I purchase and download (FLAC and DSD files).  It has a 2TB SSD. 

I run backups to my Synology NAS, which has two mirrored 3TB drives. These drives are hot-swappable, so I don't worry about loosing one.  Loosing both would be a problem but not catastrophic because I backup one to an external USB drive about once a month.   

It's much more convenient listening to my ripped CD collection than spinning disks, and I don't have to load/unload the CD player.  I also think my ripped CDs sound better than playing them through my McIntosh MCD7008.  Tidal HiRes music and Zenith ripped CDs sound about the same to me.  Tidal Masters sound better.

I have about 16000 digital music files that will last me a couple of lifetimes, but Tidal has even more :-).  I've discovered new artists and songs (old school R&B, jazz, soft rock, & blues).  I have many vinyl albums that Tidal does not have and probably never will.  IMHO streaming is definitely here to stay.
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